Criticism from Media Supporting Mandatory Hijab on 'Hijab Bill'; Reduces the Power of 'Enforcement Officers'

The efforts of the three branches of the Islamic Republic to further restrict social freedoms and respond to the civil resistance of women against 'mandatory hijab', which has recently been presented in the form of the 'Chastity and Hijab Bill', continue to make headlines in Iran. In the latest reactions, a government-affiliated media outlet has deemed it 'weak' and a hindrance to 'enforcement' against 'unveiled' individuals. The Tehran-based newspaper 'Hamshahri' criticized the text published under the title 'Hijab Bill' in some media, stating that if accurate, such a text would be a 'bad blow' to the 'reputation of the judiciary'. This media outlet, which is funded by public budgets, further urged the government of Ebrahim Raisi to 'withdraw the Hijab Bill' as 'officers' can no longer confront 'unveiled' individuals as desired by this media. The 'Hijab Bill', prepared by the judiciary of the Islamic Republic, was sent to Ebrahim Raisi's government on May 9 and was approved by the cabinet on May 17, then sent to the Islamic Consultative Assembly with a 'two-urgency' clause. In this bill, the judiciary has attempted to prescribe 'the formation of a legal case' as the last stage of enforcement, limiting initial actions to warnings, fines, and the closure of venues. The published text of this bill also states regarding the 'unveiling' of celebrities and well-known individuals: 'Whenever individuals who are socially prominent due to their social, political, cultural, artistic, or sports activities commit the crime of unveiling, their punishment will be increased by one degree and they will also be sentenced to a professional activity ban for a period of 3 months to 1 year by the relevant authorities.' Hossein Shariatmadari, the editor-in-chief of the 'Kayhan' newspaper and representative of Ali Khamenei in this media, also criticized this bill on May 22, stating that a look at the provisions of the 'Chastity and Hijab Bill' and a comparison of its 'proposed articles' with 'existing laws' leads to the perception that the mentioned bill is 'not aimed at combating unveiling', but 'with the (even if unintended) goal of removing existing legal obstacles' and paving the way for 'the expansion of this ugly and disgusting phenomenon'. The representative of the Supreme Leader in Kayhan, which is funded by public budgets, added that throughout this bill, the 'punishments' provided for 'unveiling' in the current laws of the country have been 'reduced' and converted into 'monetary fines'. Since the end of September 2022, coinciding with nationwide protests over the death of Mahsa Amini in custody, widespread civil opposition to 'mandatory hijab' has emerged in various cities in Iran, which has faced severe repression from the military, judicial, and governmental forces of the Islamic Republic. However, these resistances have continued despite all pressures, prompting Iranian officials and government entities to respond with measures such as preparing the 'Chastity and Hijab Bill' to reduce resistances. This bill has been criticized by human rights activists for attempting to increase restrictions, while it has not met the expectations of media supporting mandatory hijab for harsher punishments against opponents of this imposition.